Three in ten foreigners are business travellers

10/11/2006 16:00

Last year, 10 million travellers from abroad visited the Netherlands and stayed in overnight accommodations. Approximately 30 percent of them were here on business. Business travellers often travelled alone and most of them spent the night in luxury hotels.

Large part of travellers from outside Europe come on business

One third of all visitors from other countries who stayed in overnight accommodations were business travellers. With 45 percent, the rate was even higher for people from countries outside Europe. The rate was evidently lower for business travellers from Germany and Belgium (approximately 20 percent).

More than one in every three German and Belgian visitors came to the Netherlands to enjoy nature. Guests from other countries more often came to visit tourist attractions and places of interest.

Destinations of foreign travellers, 2005

Business travellers stay in hotels

Nearly all foreign business travellers stayed in hotels. In three out of four cases, they opted for hotels in the four and five star range. Almost 40 percent of all foreign hotel guests visited the Netherlands chiefly for business purposes. Guests staying in other types of accommodation, like holiday parks and camping sites, visited the Netherlands almost exclusively for private reasons.

Activities of foreign travellers by type of accommodation, 2005

Hotel guests who came to the Netherlands for private reasons mainly visited tourist attractions and places of interest. For one quarter of all hotel guests that was the reason to visit the Netherlands. Foreign visitors staying in other types of accommodation chiefly visited the Netherlands to enjoy nature.

Business travellers often travel alone and do not stay long

Business travellers visiting the Netherlands often travelled alone, whereas private visits mostly consisted of two or more persons.

In 2005, foreign guests on average spent 2.5 nights in the accommodation of their choice. Business travellers averaged only 1.6 overnight stays. Private visitors on average spent 3 nights in Dutch accommodations.